Brexit and UK aviation

29th March 20175:14 pm29th March 20175:14 pm

Professor Herve Morvan, Director for the Institute of Aerospace Technology (IAT), discusses the concerns surrounding Brexit and suggests how the aerospace industry can navigate the way ahead by maximising opportunities in Asia and participating in key programs and networks to shape the debate and direction of travel to benefit the UK.

Lord Ahmad, the Aviation Minister, recently gave a speech on the need for the UK to have a strong aviation industry at the Airport Operators Association annual dinner. He acknowledged the concerns surrounding Brexit, particularly the uncertainties the aerospace and aviation industries will face, in the wake of an exit from the common market.

For the aviation sector, concern revolves around access to a single European aviation market and the disruption and loss of market access that could follow a hard exit. As the first European aerospace economy, the UK is a major employer and exporter in aerospace naturally, but its aviation sector is also a big industry in its own right. A recent report by Deloitte cited figures from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) which show the UK is among the largest aviation markets in the world, with its airports carrying 200 million passengers annually. Connectivity to the rest of the world is central to a modern and vibrant economy, and in the context of the UK, the connections afforded by its aviation sector are particularly important. It is clear that with Brexit the country is looking beyond its European horizons to forge and grow new commercial and collaboration agreements.

Asia: The next frontier of flight

In his speech, Lord Ahmad noted the relatively good performance of the UK economy since the Brexit vote. Looking forward, he reassured the audience that the government is aware of their concerns and that it is working to deliver on new deals effectively. This is where he pointed to new horizons in China and India. He wants to show that the government, while determined to honour its mandate on Brexit, will do all it can to support growth and/or offer alternative accesses to markets.

A similar step change is required in the aviation sector to deliver suitable infrastructure in Asia and all over the world, including at home. While the increase in air travel and flight numbers represents a manufacturing and commercial opportunity, is also places serious stress on the infrastructure that supports the exploitation of the airspace.

In the drive to deliver greener aviation, we are developing more environmentally friendly aircraft, but these developments will only deliver their potential if we can reduce CO2 production due to network inefficiencies. Figures in the 2016 European Aviation Environment Report (Section 4, pp. 41 to 54) show a 5 per cent horizontal inefficiency in filed flight plans – aircraft are flying further and longer than they ought to. This inefficiency reduces to 3 per cent in actual flight trajectories, but this still adds up to 274 million extra miles (438 million km) flown every year!

Lord Ahmad pointed out that the UK airspace is a ‘critical piece of national infrastructure.’ Its modernisation is long overdue and to enable it to accommodate the necessary capacity, we must do so in a responsible manner.

Here, it will be important to retain our participation in essential programs and networks such as the Single European Sky ATM Research (SESAR) program, as well as our ability to influence the debate and direction of travel to benefit the UK. These are all significant – airspaces are obviously connected.

The University is also engaged in a Transport Innovation Accelerator (TIA) proposal as part of the Midlands Engine for Growth, a key part of which is on modernising the UK transport infrastructure.

The airport of the future

Beyond the airspace, we also need to look at the airport of the future. The UK has a lot to offer on this front. Cranfield University is the only university in Europe with its own airfield, which could contribute to such research by offering a unique test platform, while the University of Nottingham has played a crucial role in delivering key technologies in electrification to make airport operations greener. Our green taxi electrical wheel system for example, grew from a collaboration with the SAFRAN group, the supplier of systems and equipment for aerospace, defence and security.

We can therefore support, nationally, such ambition. The aerospace and aviation sectors, of which we are a partner, are certainly keen to play their part in delivering greater connectivity and green solutions to the UK, to support Lord Ahmad’s positive message and new economic opportunities for the country.

Politicians need to remember that every time they purchase large systems from abroad, they are effectively training up other nation’s businesses and population in science and engineering, and depriving UK business and population of the training it really needs.

I remember quite a few years ago that I heard that the UK were selling certain items to Canada. Canada said that the UK could sell us 50 (or 100) items, but after that, the UK would have to give Canada the full manufacturing package in order for Canada to manufacture a number of items under licence.

I thought that was a sensible approach by Canada in ensuring that its business, design and engineering skills were maintained at the highest level… please discuss.

In all truth, the British aerospace industry is something of a bitsa — a bit of this, a bit of that (okay, Airbus wings are big bitsas) — but unlike many advanced countries, as far as I can see, at present there are only four heavier-than-air aircraft types that can be claimed to be wholly designed and built here — the Hawk trainer, two Augusta-Westland helicopter types and the Britten-Norman Islander.

Going to Asia you’d probably want to fly over Russia to save fuel and time. So Britain might want to go easy with the threats of tanks and fighter jets on Russia’s border…
And then there is the question of selling out Hong Kong for easier access to China..

“Politicians (from the Right) need to remember that every time they purchase large systems from abroad…” And large former State owned businesses as well! But even if they do remember, they will continue. Because not encouraging manufacture of both large and small items is precisely what they have done for decades: -partly to appease the retail consortia (and what an excellent contribution to the economy they have made? ) partly to look after the banks (and look what an …you get it!) and partly to ensure that the insurance, estate agent, legal, administrative ‘industries’ (and look what an excellent contribution….you get it) exactly what will keep them in power/office for ever.